


Parasites of Heaven

by Riesx



Series: Suicide Blonde [2]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-15
Updated: 2012-11-15
Packaged: 2017-11-18 18:14:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/563973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riesx/pseuds/Riesx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone in Sunnydale recollects a past life. (Slight AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Love is a fire  
It burns everyone  
It disfigures everyone  
It is the world's excuse  
for being ugly.  
\--------------------------------------------

Something in him so loves the world that he gives himself to the   
laws of gravity and chance. Far from flying with the angels, he   
traces with the fidelity of a seismograph needle the state of the   
solid bloody landscape....He can love the shapes of human beings, the   
fine and twisted shapes of the heart. It is good to have among us   
such men, such balancing monsters of love.  
\--------------------------------------------------

 

He dreamed. She was in his arms, waltzing. Gracefully twirling round   
and round the room as one born to dance. She looked into his eyes and   
he felt as if her sapphire orbs would drown him, consume his soul in   
a liquid fire. That is what he wanted. It was the closest he had come   
to heaven and what man could refuse that? He sifted his hands through   
her long, brown hair and breathed in her scent. A mixture of jasmine   
and roses. Had she walked through the gardens today? The flowers   
should bow to her, for she shamed even the sun. How had he come to be   
here? She was the angel, pure and beautiful. He the monster, awkward   
and ugly. But she never saw him that way. While the mirror showed him   
the reality of what he knew himself to be, her eyes reflected the   
image of a suave, handsome young man. One she was not ashamed to be   
near. No, she always came to him, unafraid of his flaws, many as they   
were. She grinned up at him. Gods, that bewitching smirk! What was it   
about her knowing smile? Was she about to tell him she could read his   
every thought? Would she relate to him all the secrets of this life,   
making him wish that he had never been born? He let his hands   
continue their journey, letting them rest at her slim waist and   
leaned his body into hers. He had never acted this boldly, but   
yes..'If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will   
be now; if it be not now, yet it will come.' He leaned close, his   
mouth scant inches from her ear. "How I wish you were anyone else."   
And now she had pulled away from him, a mixture of disgust and   
confusion marring her lovely face. He felt he could not breathe, the   
air had been sucked out of the room, it seemed. Damn my infernal   
tongue! He saw the tears that had begun to form in the corners of her   
eyes. They will never fall, he thought. She has always had so much   
control. He wished, for just one second that he had a fraction more.   
He reached out to her, but she had turned her back on him. She had   
finally seen the demon, the gross and grotesque image that he had   
hidden so carefully until this moment. She spoke without moving, her   
voice tinged with a sadness that stabbed at the very core of his   
heart. "Go to your party, William. Have fun for Mum and I." And then   
she was gone and he was left all alone in the spacious ballroom with   
his thoughts. An eternity seemed to pass until he found the strength   
in which to move. "Right then, I shall go." He tried to rid his mind   
of her touch, her scent, those wonderful pools of blue that she   
called eyes. He picked up his earlier discarded hat and the dog-earred   
notebook in which he wrote about another earthly angel. He smiled for   
the first time in a long while. Perhaps Cecily would be there   
tonight.....


	2. Chapter 2

"God, Will. Tell me again why I'm carrying an unconscious vampire   
through the night cause it really isn't my idea of a wild time."   
Buffy gently laid the prone body of Katrine on the training mat in   
the back room of the magic shop and sat next to it with a sigh.   
"Someone needs to lay off the Sara Lee."

Willow wiped her sweat covered brow and her fingers came away   
sticky with blood. "Buffy, I-I have no idea what went on back there.   
Just one moment I'm being attacked by a strange woman and then SHE'S   
being attacked by a strange weird-o man, who you say is Lothos and   
I'm pretty sure she has a soul. Do you think we should get her some   
blood cause she had something important to tell you about the end of   
the world and I kinda think we can trust her. I mean she could've   
hurt me, but she didn't and she might be a little gay-"

"Willow, breathe." Buffy placed her hands in a firm grip on her   
best friend's shoulders.

"Sorry. Done with the crazy now."

"I can't believe this. Any of it." Lothos. He had come out of   
nowhere. She had expected, been prepared for anyone but him. He had   
been her first real kill. She could still remember the feel of   
plunging the stake through his un-beating heart, the ashes coating her   
face, her hair, her clothes. How could he have been standing there in   
that empty alleyway, laughing at her, taunting her once more. You and   
I are one. God. She had stood there, feet rooted to the cement, hand   
clutching stake in a knuckle-white death grip. It had seemed like   
they had been frozen like that forever. She didn't know how vamps   
could stand it. But one thing Buffy Summers DID know was the smell of   
the undead. A musky, not quite alive odor. And he had reeked of life.   
Maybe he had discovered how to rise from the dead and become mortal?   
She highly doubted it. Back in the alley, she had no time to ponder   
it because 'Lothos', for some reason, had though it would be a good   
idea to take a header into the solid brick wall. As he lay unmoving   
underneath the rubble, Willow had yelled at her to grab the unmoving   
girl. Now SHE had stunk of death. They had run as fast as they could   
to the magic shop and Buffy tried to collect her thoughts, make some   
sense of tonight's events. "What did she say to you?"

Willow closed her eyes and sat next to Buffy and Katrine on the   
mat. "Well, apparently we're gonna have another apocalypse."

"Great. End of the world take five." Buffy studied the vamp   
curiously. "I wonder what she has to do with any of it, though."

"What in the world is going on in here? And why is there a dead   
girl laying on the training mat?" Giles leaned against the door frame,   
a huge book open in his arms. "Please tell me you have not been   
grave robbing again, Buffy."

Willow strode to stand next to him and placed a gentle hand on his   
arm. "Well, see she has something to tell Buffy. She's pretty   
harmless as far as unconscious vampires go. Oh! We also fought Lothos!"

Giles slammed the heavy tome closed, releasing a cloud of dust into   
the air. "Pray tell, why is there a vampire in the back of my bloody   
shop?!?!" He turned in wide-eyed shock towards Willow. "Who did you   
say? How-"

"We didn't fight Lothos, Will. Giles, don't pop a vein." Buffy   
responded, still leaning over Katrine.

"Okay, so he more or less slammed into the wall and we ran like   
weasels on crack. I think Katrine may have done it. I saw her eyes   
open for a few seconds back there. She's probably telekinetic. I   
thought I was good, but boy-"

Giles began to look askance between the two women. Between Willow's   
babbling and Buffy's uncharacteristic calmness, he didn't know what to   
make of the situation. "Lothos. Buffy, I thought you had killed him."

Buffy looked him in the eyes. "I did. Back in LA. But I don't think   
the thing we ran into was him. I mean, it sounded the same and looked   
the same, but-"

"Y-you're thinking it was a warlock, perhaps?"

"I didn't think witches had that sort of power, Giles."

"No, Buffy." Willow asserted. "Warlocks are a type of shapeshifter.   
They can read peoples minds and become just about anything they want.   
Wow. I thought they didn't exist."

"Not for many centuries has there been any recorded contact with   
them. A-at least n-not in the Watcher's Diaries." Giles removed his   
spectacles and crouched down beside Katrine. "And that still does not   
explain this girl, why she happened to be there at that same moment."

"Steel yourself." Buffy replied. "We have another apocalypse a-  
comin'"

"W-well, I guess it is that time of the year. Willow," Giles stood   
and guided Willow towards the door. "I have some blood stored in the   
mini-fridge. It may not be human, but I believe it will enough to   
revive the girl. Then she can tell us what she knows."

"How do you know she knows the things that she knows? Um, that   
didn't come out right."

Giles sighed what seemed like the king of sighs and replaced his   
glasses. "Have I ever said that I've been living on the Hellmouth too   
long?"

"Living on the Hellmouth for one second is too long, Giles." Willow   
answered the watcher's previous question and left the training room   
in search of the packets of blood.

Katrine lay where Buffy had deposited her earlier and had not   
stirred since. She was weak, that was obvious, but Buffy could not   
remember when she had seen a vampire this comatose before. Even when   
Drusilla had been sick, she had never been this immobile and   
unresponsive. There was something strange going on here. Hmph, big   
understatement, Buffy. She looked up at Giles, who had taken his   
previous position in the doorway, a huge frown on his face. "So,   
okay. So far we've got 'Attack of the Shape-Shifting Mind-Melders'   
and the end of the world and Chatty Cathy here who ain't bein' so   
chatty."

"I-It could be much worse, Buffy."

"Giles!" Buffy stared at him with wide-eyes.

"Oops? I t-take it back. Um, uh, jinx? Oh, bloody hell! Who   
believes in that superstitious nonsense anyway?" Giles stammered.

"Says the man who owns a copy of the Black Chronicles." Buffy   
retorted and stared again at the prone vampire. "Should we tie her up   
or something? I mean, she could be dangerous when she wakes up."

"I wouldn't worry about that at the moment. But, Buffy, you must   
remember that no matter how strong you become, how many hours you   
train-"

"Vampires always pose a danger. Could be killed at any time. Must   
always keep guard up, yadda yadda. Got it. And couldja change the   
repatoire sometime? It's getting kinda old."

Giles rubbed the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses further   
up. "Yes, well, once a certain slayer becomes less sar-"

The beleaguered watcher was interrupted by Anya, who had come up   
behind him from the shop. "Hey! What's going on back here? Willow is   
frantically searching for blood and all of your incessant arguing is   
scaring the customers away!"

"Y-yes, Anya. The many people who roam the store after hours."

"Well, there could've been customers. You need to work on your   
manners, mister." Giles and Buffy jointly rolled their eyes. "Say,   
why is there a vampire in here? Shouldn't Buffy stake her or   
something? Oh! Are we going to play with her? Vampires are renowned   
for their stamina during certain sexual acts."

Giles pretended he had not heard the ex-demon and Buffy shot her a   
disgusted glare. She was thinking of a suitable comeback, but that   
mental train was stopped as soon as she caught sight of Willow   
rushing back into the room, four packets of animal blood in her hands.  
"T-this was all I could find. I searched everywhere. Do you think   
it's enough?"

Buffy took the blood from Willow and swallowed. "It's gotta be."   
She moved back to Katrine and carefully positioned a packet over her   
mouth. The thick red substance dripped onto rose-petal lips, flowing   
slowly down her throat. Buffy repeated the process twice more. The   
blood was gone quickly, almost too fast. They didn't have a lot and   
the woman had not stirred. Willow handed Buffy the last packet, a   
pensive expression on her face, but kept silent. She didn't have to   
say it. Buffy knew what her best friend was thinking. If this doesn't   
do it....Buffy had no time to finish her thought. Katrine jerked up   
and gripped her wrist tightly, fangs dripping crimson, the demon   
inside her fully visible. Panic paralysed Buffy for a second, but her   
fighting instincts were not far behind. "Get back!" She yelled to the   
other three, who all ran to the relative safety of the doorway.   
Katrine still had a hold of her wrist, but before she could be   
bitten, Buffy jerked the vamp to her feet and flung her against the   
far wall. It was clear that she was not yet up to full strength, but   
what power she DID possess was draining away quickly. Buffy wondered   
how she could restrain Katrine without injuring her any further.   
Divine intervention, or rather, a suprising suggestion came from Anya   
as she huddled behind Giles.

"Buffy! There are handcuffs on the pipe!" 

Buffy looked at the pipe that ran the length of the wall behind the   
vampress and spotted the cuffs. She had no idea if they would hold,   
but it was worth a shot. She crossed over to Katrine and forced her   
wrists into the steel bracelets. "Will, I thought you said she had a   
soul."

A weak laugh stole from Katrine as her quiet, enchanting voice   
filled the room. "You might say that, but at times the blood-lust is   
too strong to contain. Soul or not, it is a call that is hard to   
deny."

"And it speaks!" Buffy said, slightly unnerved. "Let's get the show   
on the road, Vampira. What's all this talk about the end of the   
world? It better be good cause I've heard this one before, plus a few   
variations on the theme." 

"What your witch has obviously told you is true." The strange woman   
nodded in Willow's general direction. She had come to stand behind   
Buffy, with Giles and Anya likewise behind her. "But it is much more   
complicated than you say. First, there is the matter of helping my   
friend."

"I dunno. You've pretty much played the hospitality card to death.   
I'm-"

"You do not understand, child. He is more important than anyone-"   
Katrine stared the slayer in the eyes and jerked as a mental jolt   
filled her brain. She felt as though her whole body would rend in   
two. Pain surrounded her mind, her body and, yes, even her soul. She   
knew what was happening and faced the sudden realization that she   
could not stop it. No, not this time. Damn me for a fool! Gods, I   
can't save him. Poor, beautiful, Jeremy. The only thing I have left   
in this world. She had felt this way only twice before. He had died   
for a third time now. And she had let it happen! The pressure built   
up until she was sure her head would explode. Then, as quickly as it   
had before, the soft black void of unconsciousness washed over her.   
And she surrendered to it, hoping, not for the first time, that she   
would never awaken.

Buffy shook Katrine by the shoulders, but didn't get a response.   
She sighed, stood, and spoke to Giles. "Okay, if she keeps doing that   
we'll never get anywhere with this." 

"I do still have the Pergamum Codex. Perhaps I shall be able to   
find something there and Anya, DO YOU MIND?" Giles blurted.

"Sorry. Thought I was gonna die." Anya removed her hand from where   
it had been almost soldered to Giles' wrist by constant pressure.   
"I'm quite suprised that we're all alive."

"As always, Anyanka, you lend an odd sort of levity to the   
situation. And never tell me the story behind those handcuffs." Giles   
rubbed the circulation back into his wrist as he moved to the main   
shop to search for the codex. He nodded to Katrine.   
"Buffy, keep an eye on her, will you?" 

"Pretty much a duh, Giles." 

"Yes, well, this won't take long. Anya, I may need your assistance."

Willow and Buffy watched as the two disappeared and they both   
unconsciously sighed at the same time. Willow studied her best   
friend's weary face and wondered what she could be thinking. She knew   
more than anyone how frustrated Buffy had lately become. How her   
patrols usually ended now with a few new scars, sorer muscles, deeper   
wounds. Mentally and physically. Frankly, slaying was beginning to   
take it's harsh toll on Buffy Anne Summers. Without thinking, Willow   
layed her head on the blonde woman's shoulder and closed her eyes.   
She opened them but a second later when Buffy suddenly started   
towards the cuffed Katrine. She lifted the side of her black leather   
jacket and studied what looked to be a small tattoo on the vamp's   
right hip. "Buff, what is it?"

"God, Will. I....I've seen this before. It-" Buffy stared into   
space, her mind drifting back through the years. It couldn't be the   
same one. But it was an exact replica, she knew. She was terrified of   
what it could mean. The possibilities of the permanent ink scar.

"Buffy?" Willow was about to call for Giles, but Buffy took the   
witches hand in her own before she could open her mouth.

"Of course, Will. I don't think you've ever seen it. At least not   
on him anyway."

"H-him. Him who? Buffy, I-I don't get-" She didn't finish her   
sentence. Buffy had moved Katrine's clothing even further away from   
her body and Willow now had an unobstructed view of the tattoo. "Oh,   
goddess.."

It was a simple design, really. A bird, at first glance, but upon   
deeper inspection, revealed to have a rather lionesque head and feet.   
All perched on top of the letter A. 

"It could mean anything, Buffy. The beginning o-of the alphabet.   
Maybe she really likes apples! Or, oh! Apocalypse!"

"No, Will." Buffy whispered, the breath having been stolen from her   
lungs. "It's Angel's."

They both stood without speaking for a few minutes, the thought   
going round in their minds. Willow studied Katrine's face and   
remembered a thought she had had while back in the alleyway awhile   
ago. "You know what's weird?" Buffy gave her a look. "Besides this. I   
got a good glimpse of her eyes when she found me and I made the   
weirdest connection."

"Don't keep me waiting, Will. Patience Gal, I'm not."

"Doesn't she look familiar to you? Like someone we know? I mean,   
she has darker hair and is kinda without the cheekbones. Her eyes are   
so blue and-and look at the way she dresses. Tight black shirt,   
leather jacket, heely boots. And I bet if I stick a hand in her   
pocket", Willow did just that. "I'll come out with these." Willow   
handed Buffy her discovery. A battered pack of cigarettes. 

Buffy turned the Kamel's over in her hands as she made the   
connection. "Spike." She turned her back and ran out of the training   
room, Willow hot on her heels.

"Buffy! Wait! We don't know-" Willow yelled after Buffy as the bell   
over the main door chimed, signaling the slayer's sudden exit. Giles   
and Anya looked up from the boxes they were sifting through and both   
wore thoroughly confused expressions.

"Where's she going?" Anya demanded. "Who's going to watch the   
vampire?"

"Yes, Willow. Where on God's green, sometimes bloody hellish earth,   
is Buffy going?" Giles sounded royally annoyed the way that only he   
could.

Willow could only stare after her friend, knowing what she was   
about to do. Finding her voice, she spoke as if to herself. "To get   
some answers."


	3. Chapter 3

Kill me with a quickness. 

Yes, heat the pins and stick them in.

There is nothing more you can do. I am too far gone. No soul of which   
to speak. This is what you want, right? Oh, no love. No hesitation.   
Come on. Finish what you started. Tsk. You are so beautiful standing   
there. All feral posture, gleaming in the golden light. How can you   
just do NOTHING? You see this? This is what I've become! A god!   
Closer to the heavens than you can possibly imagine. What's pain to   
you equals pleasure to me. This is what happens when you transform.   
Peel off the cocoon of this mortal coil. Tear down and truly be this   
quintessence of dust. Just become. And let the parasite inhabit. Eat   
away at fear and joy and everything in between. Emotion is worthless,   
it'll whisper in your ear. You'll believe it, pretty. Oh, yes, you   
will. I do. There's still one thing left in me, though. One, itching,   
twitching, shuddering feeling. Can't place it. Can't name it yet.   
Hell, I was just born tonight. I've got eternity to figure it out.   
Are we weeping, love? I remember. When you're furious, you cry. Heh,   
is there anything more pathetic? Men break your bones and not a tear.   
But I ask you one thing, one bleedin' question and the floodgates   
come crashing down! I got that much influence over you? Then why the   
BLOODY HELL WON'T YOU ANSWER ME?!?! Either way, you're dead. Why not   
be as I am? As WE are. Beauty and grace and power entwined. I'm   
offering you just his moment. And if you want, if it's what you truly   
desire, you can have forever. Sure. It won't be perfect, but who says   
the next life is any better than this one? Yeh, now you're gettin'   
it. Came here wreakin' bloody havoc, but leavin' with more than you   
bargained for. We're all gonna leave this world, this is just a   
better way out. Now don't say I didn't warn you. It isn't all love   
and rose gardens and tea parties in here. Far from it, pet. But   
you'll like it. And the moment you're turned, when you feel the demon   
growing inside you, then we'll have some fun. Promise. Always did   
keep em, didn't I? Crossed my heart and everything. You smell so   
sweet. You're blood is the most heady scent. No wonder you always   
drew them to you. Ripped up your insides good, he did. I'm wonderin'   
how you're still alive. You are going to be magnificent. Truly worthy   
of my gift, you are. Stand still, love. Can't have you fallin' and   
ruining it. Did I ever tell you how much I love your eyes? Remember   
that mask you wore last Halloween? All ostrich and raven feathers   
flying every which way. Looked like a bloody loon in it and no one   
knew it was you. Except me. Your eyes gave you away. Maybe they were   
just pretending, not wanting to spoil the mood of the costume ball   
and all. I asked you to dance 'cause I knew who you were and I had   
something to say. But one look, just one tiny glimpse and I lost my   
courage. Lost the will to say what had been in me for years. I found   
it tonight, though, didn't I? Course, you ran away and I find myself   
rejected twice in four hours. Now, I'm not mad, pet. 'Cause I'm   
givin' you this. The perfect gift. That's it. Don't fight it. You're   
pulse is so slow. Can't leave just yet. We got this one process yet   
to complete. Want to see how it tastes, do you? Well, come on in, the   
plasma's fine. Sharp teeth you got there. Doin' excellent. Just take   
it slow. Drink it from me gentle. Guess I have you now, love. We all   
do. What? You think I'd get to keep you all to myself? Wishful   
thinkin', ain't it? But see, we're a family here and we gotta share   
if we wanna get along. Hey, what are you lookin' at me like that for?   
You know what I am. Told you myself, didn't I? Gah, you can be so   
bloody daft! Don't blame me. Said it wasn't all puppies and kittens   
here. Here is death and hell and pain and massacre. I told you what   
would happen. Yeh, I know I gave my word. Too bad I sold that heart   
before it got crossed. Now, come on. Let's go and greet your new kin,   
shall we? We'll treat you real well, lovely. Keep you in jewels and   
toys and pretty girls and little boys. 

Promise.


	4. Chapter 4

Dawn entered the musty crypt and squinted through the darkness. She   
crept to the stone sarcophagus that Spike sometimes used as a make-  
shift bed and felt for his shoulder to wake him. Why can't he sleep   
in the daytime like a normal vampire? she thought. He hand came to   
rest on a leather clad arm and she noticed for the first time that   
Spike was shaking. Is he having a nightmare? Wonder if I really   
should wake him up....Dawn shook her head and sighed to herself. Just   
like Spike to be unconscious when you really need him. Stupid Buffy   
and her stupid Bronzing. Doesn't she care that some hell-beast could   
get into the house and kill me or something? God, it's just so scary   
being in there all alone now. Hm, I wonder what's on tv... She   
wandered over to Spike's battered television and turned it to the 24-  
hour home shopping network. Sitting on the moth-eaten chair ,   
she risked another peek at the still vampire. He was really thrashing   
now and a small film of blood-sweat was forming on his   
pale skin. Dawn jumped involuntarily as he let out a small yelp and   
ran over to his side.

"Spike? Spike, wake up!" She pushed aside a lock his of blood-tinged   
blonde hair, hoping that yelling in his face would do the trick. She   
did not, however, expect him to wake up in game face. He grasped   
Dawn's left wrist in a painful vice-like hold and lunged straight for   
her. Only good timing and the Initiative chip saved Dawn from having   
her throat ripped out. She reached into her pocket with her free   
right hand and found a switchblade knife. Ironically, Spike had given   
it to her as a present not too long ago. Protection from all things   
that went boogedy-boo in Sunnydale. As she slashed upward with her   
weapon, making a shallow cut in the vampire's forehead, the chip went   
off and he stumbled backwards on the floor in extreme pain. Dawn fell   
against a marble column, gasping for breath and wondering if she   
should run away. Duh, Dawn. A vampire attacks, the first thing you do   
is run. But this IS Spike. Ow, my wrist hurts!

"Bloody hell, Bit! What was that for?" Spike rubbed the back of his   
head where the chip had zapped him and Dawn couldn't help but giggle   
to herself at the sight of his mussy bed-hair.

"I thought you were having a nightmare. I tried to wake you up but   
got attacked. And I have a sprained wrist now, thank you very much."   
She held up her bruised wrist and pouted in Spike's general direction.

He pointed at her, eyebrows raised in annoyance. "Well, you know   
that's your own damn fault, don't you?"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Whatever. You tried to bite me, Spike. I was   
just minding my own business. And what's with that nasty sweat thing   
anyway? Never mind, don't answer that."

Spike stood and stretched and Dawn marveled at the way he looked   
like a cat as he did so. Mr. Kitty Fantastico, she thought and   
giggled. However, this time Spike heard it. "And what are you doin'   
here anyway? Isn't the Slayer supposed to have you under the ole lock   
'n key? Back at home where it's all safe, instead of with me."

"Buffy could care less who I'm with. It made me sooo mad. She's all   
like, 'I'm going out to my cool fancy club and you can't come!' And   
then I'm all like, 'Well, fine, I'll just stay here all unprotected   
by myself!' And she did! I thought she'd get all parental and make   
Xander come over and watch me or something. But no. And   
thenIgotscaredandIcameherecauseyoumakemefeelprotected."

"Well, okaaay." Spike stared at the girl for a second before   
collecting his thoughts. "Uh, you wanna watch the telly? I think   
maybe Passions is on?" The pale vampire made a gesture towards the tv   
and passed Dawn to plop down onto the dilapidated chair.

Dawn wrinked her nose and sat on the arm, brushing up against Spike   
at the same time. "It's almost midnight, Spike. Why would a soap   
opera be on at this time of night?"

Spike shrugged as he turned the channel. "Dunno. Always seems to be   
though. Guess it's somethin' to do with the Hellmouth. Interrupting   
with transmission and all o'that. And don't be watching anymore QVC.   
Shit'll make you sterile."

"Look who's talking, Chiphead." Dawn snorted.

"Ey! We gonna watch the bloody show or have a quibble?" Spike   
looked over at the 15-yr. old and saw the shiver that passed through   
her. He stood, slipped off his heavy duster and placed it on her tiny   
shoulders. "Don't have heat in here yet. Might need this more than   
me, Bit." He sat back down, and was suprised to see tears falling   
down Dawns cheeks. Gah, what did I fuckin' say? 

"R-remember when m-mom and I came over? An-and she love-loved this   
show so much, Spike! Sometimes I miss her so much, it hurts." 

Spike carefully wrapped his arm around Dawn and looked her in the   
eyes. Such, innocent blue eyes. "Hey, there! No time for sadness,   
ducks. Not while we got Passions on the telly. Let's do your mum   
proud and watch with a dry face, huh?" He wiped the salt-water off of   
her face and a sudden wave of deja-vu passed over him. "Timmy's   
getting 'is bris, you know."

Dawn had calmed down and settled into her seat. "What's a bris,   
Spike?"

"Well, Platelet. It's this lovely Jewish tradition. First off, they   
get a juicy newborn baby and decide to throw a party for it. That's   
the bris. But see then, some rabbi poofter takes 'is sharp scalpel   
and cuts off-"

He was interrupted as the crypt door slammed open and a pissed off   
slayer bounded inside, stake in hand. "Spike!"

"Yes, love?" Spike calmly replied, having stood when Buffy entered.

"You are SO not finishing that sentence!"

"Well aren't we dainty all of a sudden?" he retorted.

"Dawn. What did I tell you about coming here?"

Dawn slowly rose, Spike's duster fitting around her slim frame,   
seeming to swallow her whole. "You left me all alone, Buffy. What did   
you think I was going to do? The house gets creepy at night and I   
didn't want to be alone so I came to see Spike."

Buffy raised her eyebrow as she took in her sister's appearance.   
"And to wear his clothes, I see. By the way, what happened to you?"

Spike realized the last sentence was directed at him and then   
remembered that Dawn had cut his forehead earlier. "I fell off my   
trike. What does it look like, Slayer?"

"I kinda did that. But no big." Dawn shrugged.

Buffy gave her a look off approval. "Nice job. I'm assuming he   
deserved it."

"Hey, I did not! Only reason the bit got me is cause I was half-  
asleep at the time!" Spike pointed an accusatory finger at Dawn as she  
stuck out her tongue.

"Well, you're wide awake now. Let's see if you can avoid this."   
Buffy charged the unnassumming vampire and pinned him to the wall, a   
stake pressed against his chest.

Spike struggled, trying to avoid being turned into dust. "No fair,   
luv! I was distracted!"

"Um, Buffy? What are you doing?" Dawn quietly asked.

"Stay where you are, Dawn. This is important." Buffy shifted her   
gaze back to where she had Spike pinned. "Maybe I can get your   
attention with this."

"I'm all ears, pet. Just as long as you don't make with the   
staking."

"A vampire named Katrine. About yea high, brunette, wears loads of   
leather. Favorite activity is passing out. Ring any bells?" 

Spike wore an expression of thorough confusion. "Got me there,   
Slayer. Might wanna ask Willy 'bout this bird. Bloke knows more   
demons than I do."

Buffy bored her eyes into his and for a moment, held her breathe.   
Willow was right, they do have the same eyes! She decided to play her   
trump card. "Spike, she was wearing Angel's tattoo."

For one moment Spike did not move. Buffy felt his arms tighten   
under her hands and it seemed, in that moment, that he was somewhere   
else. Somewhere far away and under the rainbow. Then, the advantage   
was reversed as Buffy was ripped from her tight hold and Spike loomed   
over her, eyes full of an unreadable expression. Was it fear? She had   
never known him to be afraid of anything. Ever. Curiouser and   
curiouser. "Where is she? What have you done with her? Oh, gods,   
where-"

"Listen, she came to Willow and we took her to the magic shop,   
but-" Buffy stopped in mid-sentence as Spike spun around and ran out   
off the crypt with preternatural speed. "Oh, God. Not good."

Dawn came up behind the older woman and frowned. "What in the world   
was that about?"

Buffy knew she had to act fast if she was to make it to the Magic   
Box before Spike. She had no idea what he had to do with any of this,   
but it couldn't be good. "Dawn, I want you to go home. Now."

"No," Dawn said defiantly. "He's my friend and besides, I'd just   
sneak out again anyway."

"Fine." Buffy sighed. "I don't have time to argue."

Sister followed slayer into the chill night air. Bounding along   
behind the faster woman, tattered duster fluttering behind her, Dawn   
had no clue of who she resembled at the moment. A faded picture in   
the left coat pocket could have showed her. An ancient remnant from a   
life gone by, creased and tearing, but not forgotten. 

Almost surely, by now, a quintessence of dust.


	5. Chapter 5

The magic shop had seen excitement before, but never quite like   
this. Xander and Tara had been called after Buffy had fled and were   
now helping keep Willow and Giles calm. Giles had taken up guard in   
the doorway that separated the shop from the training room, keeping a   
watchful eye on Katrine as he sifted through an ancient tome. He and   
Willow had found one more tattoo on the vampire's wrist, but were   
unsure as to it's origin and meaning. It was an intricate design and   
must have been done by a true expert. Giles had thought it superb   
craftsmanship indeed. Xander was seated at the large 'war table'   
trying to find a match and Willow sat to his left, searching the   
codex for a prophecy or some clue to help them figure out Katrine's   
earlier rantings. Giles was trying to find some information on   
warlocks and shapeshifters, but his search was proving to be   
fruitless. He thought it odd that Willow had not explained Buffy's   
rash behavior and hoped that she was not putting herself in danger.   
He sighed heavily, knowing that was next-to-impossible, and looked up   
from his text. "Willow, have you found anything, perchance?"

Willow raised her eyes and meekly shrugged. "Nothing. I've been   
through it twice, Giles. Although, ancient Sumerian c-can be a tricky   
language."

"Yes, it has been dead for over 3,000 years now." He rubbed the   
bridge of his nose for the hundreth time that night. "Xander. How is   
your search going?"

"Nada." Xander closed his book and placed in onto a large stack of   
dusty tome. "Just the usual black hole in a big pile of nothing."

"Did you look through them all? The Tiberius Manifesto? The   
Writings of Dramius? Legends of Vishnu? The Black Chronicles?"

Xander nodded. "Yup, yup and double yup. You know, Giles, for a   
librarian, you sure do seem to have a skimpy selection. Might want to   
think about expanding your horizons beyond the Ancient Monster Files."

"This coming from the man who regards Calvin and Hobbes as high   
art?" Giles dryly commented from his post.

"Hey! That boy and his tiger have some wild times. And always a   
lesson at the end." 

"Never though I'd see the day." the Watcher muttered to himself. 

"And this is Kalandeesh. The fertility god of Ruthia." Anya's voice   
carried from behind the shelf where she and Tara were collecting the   
ingredients for a revival spell. If Buffy didn't return soon, Willow   
and Tara would try to get the information from Katrine themselves.   
And I've that didn't work...

Tara suprised everyone with her observation. "He's very well   
endowed."

Giles started, but noticed that the two didn't seem to know they   
had an audience, as Xander and Willow had begun to listen as well.   
Perhaps this will be interesting. Leave it to Anya to get distracted   
by the fertility statues.

"Most fertility gods are. They make excellent lovers. But   
Kalandeesh is nothing compared to Bremendal. Now talk about a big-"

"Y-you've slept with a fertility god?" Tara asked.

"Oh, once or twice. But their virility does not make up for their   
lack of emotion. They tend to be cold and impersonal in bed. Nothing   
like Xander. He's very warm. And slightly squishy. Which can be   
strangely exciting. And sometimes, after we have sex...he cries."

"Ok, Ahn. Time to zip it." Xander blushed furiously and made a   
beeline for his girlfriend.

"What? I'm just conveying how sensitive you are and how you have   
none of the characteristics of a sex god!" Anya pulled away from him   
and sat at the table next to Willow, who was hiding her grin behind   
the stacked books.

"Not really a compliment, hon." Xander sat down again and shot   
Willow a look that made her smile even wider.

"Um, children?"

"I'm not a child!" came from four different mouths as Giles tried   
to get everyone's attention directed towards the training room.

"Well, whatever everyone is, I believe our guest has come to. And   
I, for one, am not waiting for Buffy to find out what she knows."   
Giles grabbed a large silver crucifix from behind the counter and   
entered the training room.

"Is anyone else afraid that man is going to Ripper-out in there?"   
Xander questioned the three women. They all shared a look and filed,   
one by one, into the small room. Xander sighed as he was the last to   
enter. "I am so glad no one caught that."

Willow looked back at her old friend. "No. We just didn't comment   
on it. That's what growing up'll do to you."

"That's what I keep hearing." Xander moved past the girls and stood   
next to Giles as he conversed with Katrine, who still looked very   
weak.

"Please unchain me. I am too fragile to want to do anyone harm. My   
bloodlust has been sated for the moment. I think you know I speak the   
truth." The vampire stared at Giles with a desperate plea in her dark   
blue eyes. Such beautiful eye, Giles thought. He shook his head and   
looked at Xander.

"Xander, stand behind her and balance her as I unlock the   
handcuffs." Giles took the key that Anya had given him and fit it in   
the lock.

"Um, look Giles, I really don't think this is such a good idea. I   
mean, she is still...with the fangs and all." 

"Listen here. You can not help me and let her fall to the floor and   
knock herself silly again. Or you can support her and get some   
answers. Because either way, she refuses to talk unless I remove   
these manacles. Make up you mind." Giles whispered harshly to Xander.

Xander stood next to Katrine, arms extended. "Fine, fine. Have I   
ever told you that repression is a bad thing?"

Giles ignored Xanders remark and turned the key. Katrine fell,   
panting, into Xander. He was managing to keep her semi-upright, her   
face on his chest, and didn't even hear the bell above the store's   
front door ring. No one else in the training room seemed to either.   
No one alive, that is. Katrine stared at the tall figure now standing   
in the training room doorway. A ghost from the past. A figment of her   
deluded imagination. She recognized the slayer who stood behind him,   
but the younger girl, wearing a too-big duster, seemed just he   
slightest bit familiar. Live long enough and you start to recognise   
everyone, she thought. But the man is what held here attention. They   
stared at each other. He in open-mouthed shock. The tension between   
them was palpable. Still clutching onto Xander's midsection, Katrine   
smiled sweetly and broke the silence. "Hello, William."

With preternatural speed, Spike rushed past the stunned Scoobies   
and caught Katrine before Xander, who had seemingly lost all feeling   
in his arms, could drop her. 

"Spike, what the hell are you-" Buffy yelled from the doorway and   
stepped forward to see what was going on.

Her protest was cut off by a menacing growl from the blonde   
vampire, who had come to hold Katrine in his arms. She backed off,   
knowing it was useless to argue. And so it was that the close-knit   
group of men and woman who had apparently seen and experienced every   
shocking thing the Hellmouth had to offer, who had, upon occasion,   
called themselves family, learned what family really was. They were   
rocked by the sight of the Master vampire hold Katrine to him as if   
his un-life depended on the close contact. They saw the blood tears   
that formed in his eyes as he stared down at the woman with a mixture   
of horror and apparently, love. And, in a low voice one had to strain   
to catch, they heard brother chant to sister. Father to daughter.

"Minemineminemineminemineminemineminemineminemine..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first sentence in this chapter was supposed to be sarcastic and re-written later. Never happened, oh well...:) Also, the beginning poems from the 1st chapter are by Leonard Cohen.


End file.
